Foreign Language Title

Collection Time Period

This collection of civil registration records from provinces of the Netherlands covers the years of 1811 through 1950.

Record Description

This collection includes images of the records of civil births, marriages, marriage intentions, marriage proclamations, marriage supplements, deaths, and 10-year indexes. The events are recorded either totally by hand or in partially preprinted books where the information was then entered by hand. This collection of records has been preserved relatively well; however, some older records may have some physical damage.

The collection was assembled from existing records, usually books or ledgers. Sometimes the original record book contained one type of entry, such as births. The books may contain multiple record types, such as births, deaths, and marriages. Therefore, as you search the records, you will find a mixture of record types even though the heading mentions only one type of record initially. The heading may change as you search the specific collection to reflect the variety of records it contains. Thus, searching in marriages may lead to both marriage and divorce records. The same will be true when searching divorces.

Record Content

The key genealogical facts found on most birth records include the following:

Name of the child

Gender of the child

Child’s place of birth

Date and time of birth

Parents’ names, including the mother’s maiden name

Parents' occupations, ages, and marital statuses

Names of witnesses, who could also be family members

The key genealogical facts found on most marriages records include the following:

Names of the bride and groom

Marital statuses

Places of birth and ages

Place, date, and time of the event

Occupations and residence

Parents’ names, their residences, and occupations if living

Names of witnesses, who could also be family members

The key genealogical facts found on most death records include the following:

Name of the deceased person

Date and place of death

Gender and age of the deceased

Deceased’s place of birth

Occupation of the person at the time of death

Spouse’s name and occupation, if the deceased was married

Deceased’s death place

Parents’ names, occupations, and residence if living; if not living, the place of death

Name and information of the informant, who could be a relative

Names of witnesses, who could also be relatives

How to Use the Record

It is important to know that in order to search a birth record, one needs to search by the given name of the child, the mother’s maiden name, and the father’s name. Children are never labeled as “illegitimate,” but the mother is noted as being “unmarried.” If the father and mother of the child later marry, it will be noted in the margin of the birth certificate with an indication that the child is “recognized” as theirs. Also, the child’s last name will be changed to the father’s last name. In this case, the child is given the mother’s last name at birth but later on in life will go by the father’s last name.

If you believe a marriage took place but cannot find a record of the marriage, search records of intent to marry. Take note of the marriage entry number; you will need this to locate the marriage supplements, which are the documents filed by the bride and groom in support of their application to be married.

Civil death records often exist for individuals who do not have birth or marriage records. Married women are recorded under their maiden surname.

Record History

The French emperor, Napoleon Bonaparte, introduced civil registration in the Netherlands at the time of the French occupation in the late 1700s, beginning mainly in the southern provinces. In 1811, the rest of the country began implementing the recording of births, marriages, and deaths using a standard format. Two copies of the records were created; one stayed in the local registration district, and the second was sent annually to the district court. The district court created the ten-year indexes and eventually deposited the records and ten-year indexes in the provincial archives.

Why the Record Was Created

The civil registration serves to officially record the events of birth, marriage, and death in a person’s life. These records also serve for statistical purposes. In the earlier years, the records were also used for military drafting.

Record Reliability

The civil registration records for the Netherlands are a reliable source for genealogical research after 1811. For events prior to March 1811, it is best to search church records.

Known Issues With This Collection

For a full list of all known issues associated with this collection see the attached Wiki article. If you encounter additional problems, please email them to support@familysearch.org. Please include the full path to the link and a description of the problem in your e-mail. Your assistance will help ensure that future reworks will be considered.

Related Websites

Genlias - A compilation of indexed records from the Netherlands, including some from Dutch colonies, mostly dating from 1811 until the mid-1900s. It is in Dutch, but with an option to view and search in English. While it is not complete as yet, it is extensive and records are still being added. Images for many of the indexed records on Genlias can be found in the collections on Familysearch.org.

Related Wiki Articles

Contributions to This Article

We welcome user additions to FamilySearch Historical Records wiki articles. We are looking for additional information that will help readers understand the topic and better use the available records. We also need translations for collection titles and images in articles about records written in languages other than English. For specific needs, please visit WikiProject FamilySearch Records.

Please follow these guidelines as you make changes. Thank you for any contributions you may provide.

Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections

When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information. This will help you or others to find the record again. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records.

Citation This Collection

The following citation refers to the original source of the data and images published on FamilySearch.org Historical Records. It may include the author, custodian, publisher, or archive for the original records.